MEASURING AND CARE OF COOPER LACE CURTAINS

Care and Cleaning of Cooper Lace Curtains

Ask Dan Cooper

Do you have questions about measuring, installation or which pattern is best for you? We encourage you to contact Dan Cooper directly by telephone at 413-218-5785 or email him at lace "at" cooperlace dotcom. If available, he will accept calls on evenings and weekends. All emails will be responded to within 24 hours, but typically within 2-3 hours.

QUICK TIP: When you first hang your new lace curtains, you'll notice that they might be creased from the packaging, but don't bother ironing them! Here's an easy trick: after they're hung, just 'spritz' them with water from a spray bottle, and they'll 'relax' and settle out nicely!

We strongly suggest dry-cleaning of Exclusive Madras lace curtains! For our Historic and Traditional lines, which are Nottingham lace, we have found that washing them in cold water with a mild detergent, either by hand or on the delicate cycle, works quite well. We use a high-efficiency, front-loading washer, and this leaves the curtains barely damp upon completion of the cycle.

Measuring

There's no exact formula for determining which the correct measurement of length and width is when buying lace curtains, but one can usually divide their selection into one of two eras: the 19th century or the 20th century.

In the 19th century (Federal, Greek Revival, Early-Mid Victorian and some Colonial Revival), window treatments were "fuller" with more gathering. Typically, the ratio of lace was 1½ to 2 times the width of the window opening. Lace curtain patterns of ours that work best with this amount of fullness are the Grecian Panel, The Eastlake Panel, Cherwell and even the Hunter Rose lace curtain in some instances. 19th century lace panels often hung well below the window sill, sometimes even pooling onto the floor, but usually they terminated near or on the baseboard.

20th century (Mission, Craftsman, Arts & Crafts, Colonial Revival, Bungalow, Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern) window treatments were hung much "flatter" with less gathering; the lace ratio in this instance was no more that 1½ times, and preferably 1 to 1¼ times lace to glass. Our panels that look best in this treatment are Hunter Rose, Glen's Edge, Gingko Leaf, Pine Cone, Prairie Sumac, Art Deco and Old Colony. The preferred length for this era is just touching the window sill, which lends a much crisper, modern appearance to the window treatment. Our seamstress will custom shorten any curtains (from the top, so as not to cut into the decorative border) for only $7.50/panel. She will keep the rod pocket and header, or just the rod pocket, if you wish. Please specify which you would prefer.

If you are undecided which pattern and its respective length and width look best in your home, please request a loaner or two, and we'll send them out straight away.

The simplest and cheapest way to hang your lace curtains is with a spring-compression rod, available at most hardware stores. Choose a white one, and it will visually disappear when tucked inside the lace. If you're looking for something fancier, especially if you want to mount the curtains on the face of the woodwork, we suggest Rejuvenation, who makes a great set of inside and outside mount café rods in a variety of finishes.

As many American windows are between 25" and 30" across, you can use a 47" wide panel for full effect, or a 33" wide panel or two 20" wide panels (which actually wind up being about 38" wide together).

Still not sure what size is right for you? Just call or email; we're used to speaking with people who are standing on a step-ladder with a tape measure in one hand and the telephone in the other. We're delighted to spend as much time with you as you need, as our customer testimonials prove!

Custom Sizing and Pattern Reproduction

Custom-sizing Available
Our seamstress will shorten your curtains to the specific length of your choice for $7.50 a panel. This will add approximately 3-4 days to your delivery time. We will gladly weave extra-long curtains for you; please contact us for personalized service. We can also have your curtains dyed to different shades of white or other colors if a certain minimum is met.

Custom Design and Reproduction Service

Is there a pattern or design that you'd like woven, such as an existing antique or vintage piece? Are you in need of a particular design that you've been unable to find? We have many archival patterns at our disposal and also replicate antique patterns for museums and private parties. Please call or email to discuss your options; the minimums are smaller than you might think, and our art department has created many exquisite lace curtain designs.

Policies

We accept returns within 30 days of purchase. Panels must be returned in the original packaging or may be subject to a 10% restocking fee. Custom-resized curtains are not returnable. Actual dimensions of curtains may vary slightly, especially widths, which can be an inch narrower than stated.